Optimal path for a quantum teleportation protocol in entangled networks

Bellman's optimality principle has been of enormous importance in the development of whole branches of applied mathematics, computer science, optimal control theory, economics, decision making, and classical physics. Examples are numerous: dynamic programming, Markov chains, stochastic dynamics, calculus of variations, and the brachistochrone problem. Here we show that Bellman's optimality principle is violated in a teleportation problem on a quantum network. This implies that finding the optimal fidelity route for teleporting a quantum state between two distant nodes on a quantum network with bi-partite entanglement will be a tough problem and will require further investigation.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, RevTeX

Molecular Quantum Computing by an Optimal Control Algorithm for Unitary Transformations

Quantum computation is based on implementing selected unitary transformations which represent algorithms. A generalized optimal control theory is used to find the driving field that generates a prespecified unitary transformation. The approach is illustrated in the implementation of one and two qubits gates in model molecular systems.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Experimental Demonstration of a Quantum Circuit using Linear Optics Gates

One of the main advantages of an optical approach to quantum computing is the fact that optical fibers can be used to connect the logic and memory devices to form useful circuits, in analogy with the wires of a conventional computer. Here we describe an experimental demonstration of a simple quantum circuit of that kind in which two probabilistic exclusive-OR (XOR) logic gates were combined to calculate the parity of three input qubits.Comment: v2 is final PRA versio

Hyperentanglement-enabled Direct Characterization of Quantum Dynamics

We use hyperentangled photons to experimentally implement an entanglement-assisted quantum process tomography technique known as Direct Characterization of Quantum Dynamics. Specifically, hyperentanglement-assisted Bell-state analysis enabled us to characterize a variety of single-qubit quantum processes using far fewer experimental configurations than are required by Standard Quantum Process Tomography (SQPT). Furthermore, we demonstrate how known errors in Bell-state measurement may be compensated for in the data analysis. Using these techniques, we have obtained single-qubit process fidelities as high as 98.2% but with one-third the number experimental configurations required for SQPT. Extensions of these techniques to multi-qubit quantum processes are discussed.Comment: This is part of a joint submission with an implementation with Ions: "Experimental characterization of quantum dynamics through many-body interactions" by Daniel Nigg, Julio T. Barreiro, Philipp Schindler, Masoud Mohseni, Thomas Monz, Michael Chwalla, Markus Hennrich and Rainer Blat

From qubits to black holes: entropy, entanglement and all that

Entropy plays a crucial role in characterization of information and entanglement, but it is not a scalar quantity and for many systems it is different for different relativistic observers. Loop quantum gravity predicts the Bekenstein-Hawking term for black hole entropy and logarithmic correction to it. The latter originates in the entanglement between the pieces of spin networks that describe black hole horizon. Entanglement between gravity and matter may restore the unitarity in the black hole evaporation process. If the collapsing matter is assumed to be initially in a pure state, then entropy of the Hawking radiation is exactly the created entanglement between matter and gravity.Comment: Honorable Mention in the 2005 Gravity Research Foundation Essay Competitio

Preparation of Dicke States in an Ion Chain

We have investigated theoretically and experimentally a method for preparing Dicke states in trapped atomic ions. We consider a linear chain of $N$ ion qubits that is prepared in a particular Fock state of motion, $|m>$. The $m$ phonons are removed by applying a laser pulse globally to the $N$ qubits, and converting the motional excitation to $m$ flipped spins. The global nature of this pulse ensures that the $m$ flipped spins are shared by all the target ions in a state that is a close approximation to the Dicke state \D{N}{m}. We calculate numerically the fidelity limits of the protocol and find small deviations from the ideal state for $m = 1$ and $m = 2$. We have demonstrated the basic features of this protocol by preparing the state \D{2}{1} in two $^{25}$Mg$^+$ target ions trapped simultaneously with an $^{27}$Al$^+$ ancillary ion.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Quantum-dot-spin single-photon interface

Using background-free detection of spin-state-dependent resonance fluorescence from a single-electron charged quantum dot with an efficiency of 0:1%, we realize a single spin-photon interface where the detection of a scattered photon with 300 picosecond time resolution projects the quantum dot spin to a definite spin eigenstate with fidelity exceeding 99%. The bunching of resonantly scattered photons reveals information about electron spin dynamics. High-fidelity fast spin-state initialization heralded by a single photon enables the realization of quantum information processing tasks such as non-deterministic distant spin entanglement. Given that we could suppress the measurement back-action to well below the natural spin-flip rate, realization of a quantum non-demolition measurement of a single spin could be achieved by increasing the fluorescence collection efficiency by a factor exceeding 20 using a photonic nanostructure

Scalable gate architecture for densely packed semiconductor spin qubits

We demonstrate a 12 quantum dot device fabricated on an undoped Si/SiGe heterostructure as a proof-of-concept for a scalable, linear gate architecture for semiconductor quantum dots. The device consists of 9 quantum dots in a linear array and 3 single quantum dot charge sensors. We show reproducible single quantum dot charging and orbital energies, with standard deviations less than 20% relative to the mean across the 9 dot array. The single quantum dot charge sensors have a charge sensitivity of 8.2 x 10^{-4} e/root(Hz) and allow the investigation of real-time charge dynamics. As a demonstration of the versatility of this device, we use single-shot readout to measure a spin relaxation time T1 = 170 ms at a magnetic field B = 1 T. By reconfiguring the device, we form two capacitively coupled double quantum dots and extract a mutual charging energy of 200 microeV, which indicates that 50 GHz two-qubit gate operation speeds are feasible

Efficiency of feedback process in cavity quantum electrodynamics

Utilizing the continuous frequency mode quantization scheme, we study from first principle the efficiency of a feedback scheme that can generate maximally entangled states of two atoms in an optical cavity through their interactions with a single input photon. The spectral function of the photon emitted from the cavity, which will be used as the input of the next round in the feedback process, is obtained analytically. We find that the spectral function of the photon is modified in each round and deviates from the original one. The efficiency of the feedback scheme consequently deteriorates gradually after several rounds of operation.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics

Polarons in semiconductor quantum-dots and their role in the quantum kinetics of carrier relaxation

While time-dependent perturbation theory shows inefficient carrier-phonon scattering in semiconductor quantum dots, we demonstrate that a quantum kinetic description of carrier-phonon interaction predicts fast carrier capture and relaxation. The considered processes do not fulfill energy conservation in terms of free-carrier energies because polar coupling of localized quantum-dot states strongly modifies this picture.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.